Whole Wheat Coconut Lemon Bars

I’m kind of a sucker for lemon-flavored baked goods. I enjoy a good lemon pound cake and these chewy lemon sugar cookies are one of my go-to treats when I need a fix. I love a good lemon bar. They’re one of my all-time favorite treats and one of the first recipes I tackled as I became a baker. I remember my 12-year-old self being surprised by how many eggs the filling required. I loved gently pressing the crust into the pan so that it covered the bottom and just barely came up on the sides to hold in that precious filling.

When Sarah developed this recipe for us, I was excited to see the addition of coconut to the crust. The recipe also calls for coconut to be added to the filling. If the crust has enough coconut for you, feel free to skip the coconut for the filling. Whole wheat pastry flour gives the crust a delightful, nutty flavor (and makes it a bit healthier). Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Coconut Lemon Bars

Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 60 min
Rest Time: 90 min

Yield: 12 servings

Crust

1/2 cup (30 g) Bob’s Red Mill Coconut Flakes

1 cup (120 g) Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1/4 cup (38 g) Powdered Sugar

1/2 cup (114 g) Unsalted Butter, soft, cubed

Filling

1/2 cup (30 g) Coconut Flakes (optional)

1/2 cup (120 mL)Warm Water (optional)

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp (135 mL) Lemon Juice, divided

4 (200 g) Eggs

2 cups (454 g) Granulated Sugar

1/2 cup (68 g) All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

Glaze (optional)

1/2 cup (74 g) Powdered Sugar, sifted

2 Tbsp (30 mL) Lemon Juice

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 8 x 8-inch pan with pan spray and, for easy removal, line with parchment paper, making sure to leave paper hanging over the sides of the pan.

Bake bars at 350°F until the center is set and does not jiggle when the pan is lightly tapped, about 40 – 45 minutes. Let cool thoroughly before glazing.

Step 10

To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice (adjust to desired consistency and sweetness with more powdered sugar and/or lemon juice) and pour over bars. Let glaze set before slicing, about 30 minutes.